The story of instrumental music in Brazil in the 1960s is indelibly linked with that of the bossa trios. Always piano-led, these acoustic trios developed from a hotbed of ferment in the universities and nightclubs of Rio and São Paulo from 1960 until the introduction of elements such as electric bass and organs around 1966 terminally changed the classic trio sound. During this time the main exponents of the genre –
all Rio-based – were the Tamba Trio (named after drummer/percussionist Helcio Milito’s own invention the ‘tamba’ drum), the Copa Trio led by ace drummer Dom Um
and the Bossa Três led by that dandy-about-town Luiz Carlos Vinhas. Many of these trios were originally based on the line-ups used to record with João Gilberto (the Walter Wanderley Trio)
on his 1958 debut LP. According to Bebeto, bassist and reeds player from Tamba Trio, his group was formed originally as a backing band for trombonist Raul de Barros and enjoyed playing together so much that the trio format stuck. However, many of the trios used the new recording techniques such as ‘punch-in’ and 2-track recording to augment the limitations of the piano, bass & drums setup. The Tamba Trio used Bebeto’s obvious skills on flute and sax as well as vocals, and most of the trios developed a style whereby they might not actually sing but would harmonise vocal passages in the choruses of the better known songs they were playing. According to Bebeto the Tamba Trio included a lot more vocals in their live sets than on the recordings, which must have been some feat!

In an obvious move by the record companies to cash in on
the trio phenomenon, many of the trios were employed as backing bands for the emerging singers of the day. Meirelles’ Copa 3 was expanded to 5 to back Jorge Ben on his first three Philips LPs and the Bossa Três backed 50s crooner Maysa in her bid for bossa nova stardom. Other famous trios in Rio who recorded with singers included the Milton Banana Trio, Antonio Adolfo’s Trio 3-D with Eliane Pittman and Tenório Jr. Trio with Leny Andrade.

Although stylistically based on such American groups as
the Three Sounds, the influences of the piano trios were often anachronistic – more Nat King Cole than McCoy Tyner. But
the inherent modernism of the new wave in Brazilian music meant that these trios (and certainly their pianists) often had
a strong influence in return on their American heroes. On his early MPS albums, for example, Oscar Peterson draws heavily on the bossa trio style.

Like all musical movements the originators and leaders
were inevitably followed by the followers and the imitators. But that didn’t meant that these trios were all derivative. Some of the musicians, like pianist Salvador Filho (later to become Dom Salvador) were just too young to have been playing professionally (or even semi-professionally) back in 61
in the Beco Das Garrafas, but his Rio 65 and Salvador Trios
(also released on whatmusic.com) were both highly successful.

After the Rio-based trios came a massive wave of new groups from São Paulo, aided by the daily TV broadcasts such as those broadcast live from the Teatro Paramount that showcased
the ‘new’ music. Cesar Mariano’s Sambalanço Trio, Jongo Trio (later with Mariano to become Som 3), Adilson Godoy’s Zimbo Trio, his brother Amilson’s Bossa Jazz Trio, the Pedrinho Mattar Trio, Ely Arcoverde Trio, Sambrasa Trio, Sansa Trio – the list is almost endless. Some of the trios featured future MPB legends such as Ivan Lins, another featured Marcos Valle and Nelson Motta and there was even a trio of albino multi-instrumentalists featuring Sivuca and Hermeto Pascoal!

From Brazil’s other cities came ever more trios. From Porto Alegre in the south there was Manfredo Fest Trio & Primo
Trio (whatmusic.com WMLP-0038) and on the Recife–based Mocambo label came the Jorge Autuori Trio featured here. Although born into a musical family in Rio and despite having recorded a number of LPs, including one for the multinational RCA, little is known about Autuori or his groups.

Whatmusic.com’s usual investigations online and via our contacts like producer Durval Ferreira and journalist José Domingos Raffaelli strangely turned up nothing. Even José Sobrinho, producer of the original Mocambo/Rozenblit
albums can remember nothing about the sessions, nor
who the unaccredited pianist and bassist were. It’s unlikely that they were unknowns, however. More likely is that they were players under contract to different labels at the time
and therefore couldn’t appear officially on the LPs.

Side One of this first volume of the Jorge Autuori Trio LP kicks
off with ‘Triste Madrugada’, a well-known samba tune and taken at a swift pace with Autuori using the toms on his kit to good effect. ‘There’s a Kind of Hush’ (misspelled on the cover due to the Carioca confusion between ‘R’ and ‘H’ when spoken) is the kind of American pop hit that had started to show up on trio dates by the late 60s as producers and young audiences alike moved towards a more Beatles-influenced pop sound. As well
as being a highly regarded poet and lyricist Chico Buarque also wrote some great catchy tunes like ‘Tem Mais Samba’. With its clever hooks it survives instrumental treatment well – even without its sharp lyrics. The wistful ‘O Caderninho’ is a stock composition for bossa trios and ‘Jovem Guarda’ pop groups alike, and ‘Despidada de Mangueira’ is another classic samba, this time dedicated to the Mangueira samba school. Helton Menezes’ groovy ‘Samba Com Molho’ (literally ‘Samba with Sauce’ ) closes Side One with a hefty samba backbeat on
the Autuori kit.

Side Two opens with ‘Palmas No Portão’, another updated old school samba with the pianist here making the piano sound like a spinet and featuring a great breakdown at the close. ‘Never Never’ is more ‘MOR’ pop but again the delicate touch of the pianist is compensated by the heavy beat that Jorge
lays down throughout. After ‘Fechei a Porta’ comes the classic ‘Capoeira de Oxalá’, a real driving club track and classic afro-samba that showcases the talents of this trio quite thoroughly – check the great outro! Two more upbeat tracks ‘Illusão Demais’ and ‘Tema de Nós Três’ close out the set and leave the listener (and the dancer!) wanting more.

Wherever you are Jorge Autuori & co, we’re sure you’ll be picking up the vibes from a whole new generation of fans
for the sound of the Jorge Autuori Trio!

Remastered by Ricardo Garcia at Magic Master Rio de Janeiro March 2002 with additional mastering by Sean ‘Big P’ Pennycook